Detroit Lions fire special teams coach Joe Marciano

ALLEN PARK -- After finishing the first half of the season just 3-5, change is afoot for the Detroit Lions.

Head coach Matt Patricia announced Monday night he has fired special teams coach Joe Marciano.

"Tonight I spoke to Joe and informed him of my decision to relieve him of his responsibilities with our team," Patricia said in a statement issued by the team. "I appreciate Joe's leadership of our special teams units over the last three and a half seasons and have great respect for his many years of service as a coach in the National Football League. On behalf of our team and the entire coaching staff, I want to personally thank Joe for his commitment to the Detroit Lions and wish him and his family the best moving forward."

Marciano was one of the most senior special teams coordinators in the game. He broke into the NFL as New Orleans' special teams coordinator in 1986, before moving on to Tampa Bay in 1996, Houston in 2002 and Minnesota in 2014 before landing on Jim Caldwell's staff in 2015. And he helped turn Detroit's special teams unit into one of the league's finest.

Matt Prater made the Pro Bowl in 2016 and set an NFL record for most 55-yard field goals in a season in 2017. Sam Martin net the second-most yards per punt in NFL history in 2016. Last year, fifth-round pick Jamal Agnew became an All-Pro punt returner as a rookie. And Don Muhlbach continues to be regarded as one of the league's best long snappers.

But this year, the special teams have fallen apart spectacularly.

They committed three more penalties in Sunday's 24-9 loss against Minnesota, bringing their season total to 14. That's third worst in the league. They're allowing 20.6 yards per punt return, which is nearly double anyone else in the league, and netting just 38.3 yards per punt because of it. That's 30th.

They're allowing 25.1 yards per kick return, which is 24th, and converting 84.2 percent of their field goals, which is 18th.

Detroit has declined in just about every possible way, from busted coverages to squibbed punts to untimely penalties that have erased the few big returns they have managed. FootballOutsiders now ranks them 29th in special teams, down from fifth last year.

And with frustrations growing amid this latest two-game losing streak, Patricia has decided to make his first change to the coaching staff.